Name: Tonia Grant | Business: Bag It Up Boutique
Welcome to our Spark! spotlight series, where we introduce you to the amazing entrepreneurs who are participating in our Spark! 2025 program with a quick Q&A! Spark! is a small business pre-accelerator that puts the right people, opportunities, and access in place for local entrepreneurs in Arkansas to grow their venture to the next level.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and what motivated you to join Spark!?
I’m passionate about fashion and its power to transform how people feel about themselves. Through my brand, Bag It Up Boutique, I focus on building confidence by helping individuals express their unique style. Fashion, for me, isn’t just about clothes — it’s about empowerment and self-belief.
What motivated me to join Spark! is the desire to grow Bag It Up into a brand that truly makes a difference. I’m excited about the opportunity to learn from experienced mentors, connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, and gain the skills and insights needed to take my vision to the next level. Spark! feels like the perfect environment to challenge myself, expand my network, and refine the impact I want to have in the fashion space and beyond.
What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how do you hope this program will help you achieve them?
Short-term, my goal is to deepen my understanding of brand strategy, customer experience, and sustainable growth within the fashion industry. I want to strengthen the foundation of my brand, Bag It Up, by refining our positioning, expanding our reach, and building systems that support long-term scalability.
Long-term, I aim to grow Bag It Up into a recognized, purpose-driven fashion brand that empowers people through confidence and self-expression — especially those who have felt overlooked by mainstream fashion. I also aspire to mentor other emerging creatives and entrepreneurs, creating space for inclusive voices in the fashion and business world.
I believe this program will give me access to the tools, mentorship, and network needed to accelerate my brand’s growth. I’m especially excited to learn from industry leaders, gain fresh insights into sustainable and inclusive practices, and connect with peers who are also building meaningful businesses. This opportunity would help me move from vision to execution with greater clarity and impact.
What is the most valuable piece of business advice you’ve been given?
The most valuable piece of business advice I’ve ever received is: ‘Build something that solves a real problem — and stay obsessed with your customer, not your competition.’ This shifted my mindset from just creating a brand to creating impact. It reminded me that real success comes from deeply understanding the people you’re serving and consistently showing up with solutions that make their lives better. In my case, that means using fashion as a tool to build confidence — not just sell clothes.
What is a professional achievement that you are most proud of and why?